Today we are talking about the much awaited "witching hour" (not!). For any new or expecting mother, it’s basically that time of the day during the late afternoon or early evening when babies can become fussy, irritable, and hard to soothe.
I am a new mom and I tried to tell myself this was not a real thing and the internet was wrong. But nope, I was wrong. Once 6:45 rolled around, my very punctual and otherwise content baby would begin his crusade into the “hours of the witcher” as my partner and I would call it. We still have theories of why this happens but my biggest one is that it just happens to be the time of the day when he’s the most gassy, most tired, or maybe that transition from day time to night time is not easy on babies.
The bright side? It was consistent. And that meant we could prepare. Here are our tips of the things we did to get ready. Honestly, it made it a little bit better for all of us.
If you know that your baby tends to get fussy during the witching hour, try to schedule your day accordingly. We made sure if we went out to be back by 6 pm, or to both be home at that time so we could support each other. Also, make sure your baby is well-fed and rested leading up to this time (that one is not so easy but try).
Dim the lights, turn off the TV, and play some soft music to create a calm and soothing environment for your baby. This was very helpful because not only did it calm the baby but it also helped calm us down. Don’t show your baby you’re distressed or frustrated! As you know babies are very intuitive so they feel your energy.
Every baby is different, so it's important to experiment with different techniques to see what works for your baby. Some babies may respond well to swaddling, rocking, or singing, while others may prefer being walked around or being in a baby carrier. Other ideas are car rides or bouncing on a yoga ball. Our baby demanded for us to be standing up, personally I think he was over sitting all day.
Reach out to friends, family, or a mom support group for help and advice. Talking to other parents who have been through the same thing can be incredibly helpful. It honestly helped me so much to do this because it reminded me that not only was I not alone, but also that this too shall pass and it was only a stage.
And guess what? The phase passed! The witching hour is a normal and temporary phase that many babies go through. With patience, persistence, and support, you can get through it. Also, you got this!
